Redwood Empire Food Bank

Recipients

In 2018, The Redwood Empire Food Bank distributed the equivalent of 40 million meals, or 40,000 per day. Each year, the Redwood Empire Food Bank serves 82,000 people across five counties—Sonoma County, Lake County, Mendocino County, Humboldt County, and Del Norte County. A January 2010 report estimated that REFB was providing emergency food for over 110,000 different people annually, and that in any given week about 26,000 different people were receiving emergency food assistance. In late 2010, REFB was serving 78,000 monthly meals, an increase of more than 11 percent over 2009.

Operations

Food collection and distribution

The vast majority of Redwood Empire Food Bank's work is direct service. Approximately 70% of the food distributed through the food bank goes out through 300+ pop-up food distributions each month. The remaining food is distributed through the Agency Shopping Program, which provides food to 170+ member charities that serve people in need.

The food bank's 2007 holiday food drive set a goal to collect 200000 lb of food and $160,000.

Education

The Redwood Empire Food Bank addresses the needs of low-income seniors living with diabetes through the Diabetes Wellness program.

In 2012, REFB began implementing a three-year, $800,000 project, funded by the Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation, to address type 2 diabetes. The Diabetes Wellness Project provides food and educational materials to individuals, and conducts screenings. Much of the project is being done in partnership with Sonoma County healthcare providers.

2013 expansion

In September 2011, Redwood Empire Food Bank purchased a 60,000-square-foot building near the Charles M. Schulz – Sonoma County Airport for $5 million. It opened the building after investing $2.5 million in renovations and improvements, including a 5,000-square-foot freezer and cooler, warehouse racking, truck docks and offices.

The new location also created a new "value marketplace" grocery store for low-income families, bringing dignity to the WIC and CalFresh shopping experience.

The building groundbreaking celebration was in October 2012. The new building is three times the size of the building that REFB had occupied since 1998, and opened in early 2013. The building also replaced three building spaces that REFB was renting.

Sources of donated food

The food bank distributes nearly $4.00 (wholesale value) worth of food for every $1 it spends.

• 55% donated fresh produce
• 17% donated groceries
• 10% purchased wholesale
• 15% USDA Commodities

In December 1998, Yoko Ono donated more than 33,000 pounds of in honor of her late husband, musician John Lennon.

Volunteers

Over 8,500 individuals volunteered in 2018, packing and sorting food, doing clerical tasks, driving trucks to pick up and deliver food, participating in special projects such as food drives and special events, and sharing their technological expertise. These volunteers filled the equivalent of more than 45 full-time staff positions.

Funding

Organized as a 501(c)(3) Public Charity, the food bank reported total revenue of over $42 million for the fiscal year 2017–2018. Of this, less than $1.1 million came from government contracts.

• value of donated food (59%)
• individuals (17%)
• grants and foundation support (9%)
• corporate partnerships (6%)
• partner organizations (3%)
• government contracts (3%)
• community fundraisers (3%)

Member agencies contribute toward the cost of transporting and handling the food through shared maintenance fees for some of the food they select, which contribute nearly 6% of the Redwood Empire Food Bank's budget.

94% of Redwood Empire Food Bank's expenses go to its hunger-relief programs.

References

References

1. "Redwood Empire Food Bank".
2. (January 2010). "Hunger in America 2010: Local Report Prepared for The Redwood Empire Food Bank, Final Report". Mathematica Policy Research, Inc..
3. Pat Wyman. (December 18, 2010). "Does the Food Pantry and Redwood Empire Food Bank Have Increased Need This Year?". Healdsburg Patch.
4. Laura Norton. (November 1, 2007). "Food bank strives for record goal: Redwood Empire kicks off annual drive". Press Democrat.
5. Miriam Hodgman. (September 7, 2012). "Redwood Empire Food Bank's Project Helps Those Hardest Hit by Diabetes". Sonoma County Gazette.
6. Jeff Quackenbush. (September 9, 2011). "Redwood Empire Food Bank plans $9 million expansion; New building to save $19 million in rent". North Bay Business Journal.
7. "The Redwood Empire Food Bank's Groundbreaking Celebration". Press Democrat.
8. Gary Quackenbush. (May 7, 2012). "Food bank expects to open new building in January". North Bay Business Journal.
9. Lois Pearlman. (November 18, 2011). "Feeding Petaluma's hungry8,000 residents would go hungry without Redwood Empire Food Bank". Argus-Courier.
10. "Fact sheet".
11. (December 10, 1998). "Bay Area Datelines". San Francisco Chronicle.
12. "GuideStart report".